StillWatersIowa: Twas The Week Before Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas and all through our house, no one was remembering it was the birthday of my spouse. So I hurried to the office, my mind was in a fog, thinking of best wishes, as I write my blog.

I met Jan about thirty eight birthdays ago. I don't remember her birthday however I do remember the first Christmas I spent with her and her family while we were dating. I wanted to make a good impression on her father so I bought him a really nice insulated coverall. Well, being a bibbed overall kind of guy he opened his present and said, "what in the world are these for."

Sixteen birthdays later we had six kids. All eight of us kind of grew up together. With seven to take care of it's no wonder Jan learned how to be such a good cook and a great babysitter.

It's a blessing to have all six children and their spouses living in the area. As you can see in the picture Jan still cooks for all of them once in a while.

If you know Jan very well at all you know she also enjoys flowers, yardwork, and gardening. Here her and her sister Donna are checking out the vegtables in the garden.

Jan mentioned once she would like to have a pond for her 50th birthday. In 2005 we built our pond. It took four outfits ten days and 2300 gallon of diesel fuel.

We used to use Marvin and Carol's cabin near Leighton for family gettogethers. Jan always enjoyed visiting there and said someday she would like to build a cabin we could share. In 2009 we had our cabin built and it has truely been a blessing. Jan hosts guests at least twice a week. This weekly blog was started to keep our guests in touch.

Jan babysits grandkids on Mondays. She still cooks partime at PCHS and served the annual Christmas Banquet last evening.

Jan enjoys traveling. We probably don't go places often enough but we try and get away as a couple for a week in the winter and sometimes a family vacation in the summer. We were in Kilgore, Texas a year ago for a nephew's wedding.

Sometimes it seems so long ago that we started life together. Other times we can't imagine how the time has flown by. Which ever the case we have been blessed beyond measure. Happy Birthday Sweetheart. She told me once she wasn't a sweetheart because sweethearts don't mow yards.